FARMINGTON MUNICIPALFARMINGTON MUNICIPALSCHOOL DISTRICTSCHOOL DISTRICT

Board of Education

Redistricting Proposal

2002

Redistricting refers to the process of revising the boundaries of territories from which government officials are elected.

The general rule is to try to have equal numbers of persons in each elected representative’s district.

General InformationGeneral Information

GuidelinesGuidelines

• Each board district shall contain as nearly as possible substantially the same population based upon the most recent Federal Census. To be equal in population in the context of state or local districting would require that the total population of any one district not be more than 5% off from a mathematically perfectly equal population across all board districts.

Guidelines (cont.)Guidelines (cont.)

• Plans must avoid dilution of minority voting strength. With respect to racial or ethnic communities, courts often refer to a “totality of circumstances” in judging whether or not a plan harms minority group voting strength.

Guidelines (cont.)Guidelines (cont.)

• Each board district shall be compact. The total length of all district boundary lines shall be as short as possible.

• Each board district shall be contiguous. All parts must be together with no separated “islands” of territory.

Guidelines (cont.)Guidelines (cont.)

Items “1” and “2” above are of high priority in the process of districting. Equal population and non-dilution of minority voting strength are principles whose transgression invites the spectre of litigation.

Redistricting DataRedistricting Data

• The U.S. Census is the basis for all population figures for redistricting governmental areas. This tabulation is known as the “Public Law (PL) 94-171 dataset.”

Redistricting (cont.)Redistricting (cont.)

• The total population of the Farmington Municipal School District was calculated as closely as possible and divided by 5 board districts. The result was an “ideal population” of 10,606 residents.

Data AdjustmentData Adjustment

• Some districted governmental entities, notably school districts and hospital districts, have other boundaries which cross census areas. In these cases we estimate the population in those census blocks to calculate population figures for the total school district.

Data Adjustment (cont.)Data Adjustment (cont.)

• To avoid double-counting I had to decide where to place people who listed themselves as bi- or multi-racial. I classified as either Native American or Hispanic people who identified themselves as multi-racial and included either of these two categories in identifying themselves.

Data Adjustment (cont.)Data Adjustment (cont.)

• Census information lists Hispanic as an ethnicity rather than a race. For the purposes of redistricting, I treated them as a race.

OPTION AOPTION A

• Keeps the new boundaries as close to the existing board districts as possible.

• Does not split voting precincts.

• Adheres to the 5% deviation allowance.

• Gives a minority population a majority voting strength in District 1.

• Does not place existing board members in the same district.

OPTION BOPTION B

• Does not split voting precincts.

• Adheres to the 5% deviation allowance.

• Gives a minority population a majority voting strength in District 4.

• Could possibly place two board members in one district after appointment of replacement for Mr. Sharpe.